5 reasons why Victoria is the best city to visit in Canada

The best city to visit in Canada? Okay, let’s not get too provocative here. Victoria might not be the best city to visit in Canada.

With its forested mountains and ocean; cycling and hiking trails; beaches; public markets; and green parks that make your spirits soar (like Stanley Park, the mother of all downtown city parks), Vancouver – where we’ve lived half our lives – is a serious contender for the title of “best city to visit in Canada.”

Why don’t we just say Victoria – British Columbia’s capital on Vancouver Island – is one of the best cities to visit in Canada.

So what do we like about Victoria?

The things that make Victoria one of the best cities to visit in Canada also make it one of the best cities to live (unlike, say, Venice, which is very romantic and also great to visit, but which may not be the most liveable city in the world – imagine having to elbow your way through all those crowds in the summertime just to pick up milk or bread!).

The iconic Empress Hotel is a great place for afternoon tea

5 reasons why Victoria ties Vancouver for being the best city to visit in Canada

(There are probably more, but for the sake of arbitrariness, we’re limiting this to five.)

1. Bring on the sunshine!

Victoria boasts the best weather in Canada. It’s mild in winter and it rarely snows (though we’re told it gets cold, rainy and windy days). And summers are sunny, not-too-hot and dry (unlike, say, Toronto, which melts in the humidity).

It’s hard to believe that even though Victoria is just under a two-hour ferry hop away, its weather is distinctly different than Vancouver’s – Victoria gets far less rain.

Interestingly, the gardens are a little more untamed than the more manicured gardens we’ve seen elsewhere. They’re wilder, and some overflow with plants and bushes. A few weeds? They’re allowed to grow. The lawns too are thicker and longer – not mowed as tightly. Dandelions pop up here and there. Victorians are staunch environmentalists, so this probably accounts for why their gardens look more natural.

Of course, the drier island climate has fostered a different ecosystem, creating one of the last refuges for Victoria’s beloved Garry Oaks – we have lots in our own back garden now!

A grove of Garry Oaks by the sea – photo Brian Reader for Victoria’s Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team (GOERT)

3. Great restaurant scene

If you’re a foodie, you’ll definitely love Victoria. For a relatively small city (population 340,000), Victoria has quite a sophisticated restaurant scene.

There’s an urban myth still floating around that Victoria has the second highest number of restaurants per capita in North America. Probably not true.

But we can tell you that Victoria is home to many, many great restaurants.

4. Cute little pickle boats

Victoria has a collection of pickle-shaped boats (carrying a maximum of 12 passengers) that traverse the inner waterways. Dubbed “happy boats,” they’re run by Victoria Harbor Ferry. Hop on one for a mini sightseeing cruise.

You can hop on a pickle boat for a scenic harbor tour – photo Victoria Harbor Ferry

5. Island vibe

There’s another reason to say Victoria is the best city to visit in Canada – its island vibe. To get a feel for this, spend a little time walking, biking or jogging along the winding trails stretching along the oceanfront, through grass and bush lands and around long curving bays.

Hiking in an urban park in Victoria

Spot the rocky or sandy, log-strewn beaches below the plant-covered cliffs, accessible by beach stairs and paths. Notice the colors of the grass – yellow and brown as well as green, a bit patchy and rough. Observe the rocky outcroppings all round, climbing up inland, and the wind-blown trees. Feel the wind tugging at your hair as you stroll along, with the Olympic Mountains in the distance across Juan de Fuca Strait.

Sydney the Sea is just a 20-minute drive away

We bicycled past this little lake on the Galloping Goose trail

Cruise ships stop here. Victoria’s marinas are filled with sailboats and yachts. And paddle-boarders and kayakers dot the waters of Victoria’s many coves and inlets.

But there’s also a bit of an island state of mind here – intangible but you can feel it. There’s the more casual clothing, the boats on trailers in the gravel driveways, the paddle boards and kayaks on the car roofs, the sand and mud on SUV’s just back from some outdoor adventure. But especially, there’s the relaxed attitude and natural friendliness of most everyone you encounter, a welcome contrast to the harried stresses of big city life.

For a true island lifestyle, you can live on a houseboat in the Inner Harbor

So there you have it – a few reasons why we can’t be blamed for suggesting that Victoria is the best city to visit in Canada, and why we know we’re going to love living here.

Where to stay in Victoria

Victoria Airbnbs: On our most recent visits – just before moving here – we booked several places to stay through Airbnb (our first time using the service!). We can recommend these 3 charming Airbnbs in Victoria.

Are you tempted to visit Victoria? Do you think it’s the best city to visit in Canada?

Reader Interactions

Comments

From what you are describing, Victoria seems very similar to Vancouver. Beautiful nature, good food, art and architecture are the perfect mixture for a great city. I’d very much like to visit it. You surely make it sound very tempting.

Don’t forget the entertainment scene in Victoria. I too live here. Love this city. Savon Foods Memoria Arena, where many concerts have played, also the Royal and McPherson theatres with live shows, and Mary Winspear theatre, in Sidney with many venues. There are many play theatres also. Not too mention that downtown Victoria in the summer has the Symphony Splash, Dragon Boat races, Busker Festival and many more. Then the contrast of the many hikes and biking trails. Lots to do to keep you entertained.

We took in Symphony Splash recently by the Inner Harbour! What an amazing spectacle with some 45,000 people there – we absolutely loved listening to the Victoria Symphony play during this free outdoor concert by the water. (We posted a photo on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BIjT3whAFQ-/) We look forward to enjoying all the theatrical and other events too. Thanks for writing in!

My sister lives in Victoria and I have visited many times. It is a lovely city. I too love the beautiful gardens everywhere and the island vibe. I think I will have to take a tour on one of those pickle boats next visit. Sounds like fun.

I’ve also noticed a great art scene in Victoria. I’ve only been a couple of times but really enjoyed it. My mother and I had a wonderful stay at the Fairmont Empress. We splashed out on a two-bedroom harbour view suite. Ah. What a view. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your new life!

You picked a great spot to stay in Victoria! You can’t go wrong with the Fairmont Empress – we’ve also stayed there. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is in our neighborhood, and we’ll definitely be checking that out soon :-).

Well, you have most definitely tempted me to move to Victoria nevermind just visit!! Seriously sounds like such a wonderful choice you’ve made for your move and as you say, there’s a huge difference between a city that’s great to visit as compared to a city that’s great to visit AND great to live in and it looks like you’e found both here :)